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Chain Saw CollectorsVintage chainsaws and other small gas engine saws, collecting and restoring.

I just acquired this saw and need to know what is the fuel / oil mix ratio? Also does anyone have any tips to fixing the chain oiler? As the chain is not getting oil. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions. TJ

The oiler on these uses a 1/16" diameter copper tube which feeds from the tank, and runs to a plunger type pump which pushes oil out above the chain.
The copper tube might be knicked somewhere, causing oil to puddle inside the housing of the saw, or the plunger on yours is simply not working. I use 15W40 oil in mine, and it has worked well for the few years I had it.

Some say that, since the oil today is of better quality, you can get away with less oil.

Others will point out that alcohol was added to gasoline many years back(after XL-12's) and recently more was added, so because this has less lubricating properties, you need to increase the amount of oil.

Lots of small engine mechanics have told me that they put preservatives in the gas for all their small engines, because gasoline deteriorates in just a few months. Apparently it deteriorates quicker today.

I have been using 32 to 1 and preservatives in my main XL-12(1973) for the last 8 years with no issues. Does not smoke more than expected. I would recommend extra oil, rather than less, to compensate for the alcohol added to the gas and the alcohol in the preservatives.

I have no expertise in this area. I can just pass on what I have found to work, and what I have read and been told.
Since I started using preservatives in my gasoline, all my small engines have worked better.

Oh, don't buy cheap or old oil for any engine! It is the cheapest thing you can do to maintain an engine.

Sthil makes a two cycle chain saw oil that has preservatives in it, to keep the gas in good condition.
I have used this but I want all my gas to have preservatives, mixed and non mixed, so I add the preservatives to the straight gas. When I fill my lawnmower or need gas to mix for chainsaws, I am good to go.

Use High test gas, less alky in it. if the saw is to set for more than 30 days, drain anl, run until it quits, even with the choke on. odays gas will destroy diaphrams and plastic furl tanks. It's best to remove it when you are done. Some carb parts are getting hard to get! DO NOT lix fuel at a rate less than the recommended ratio. To do so, even with modern additives, is to invite engine burn out.

Uh, no sir. Early XL-12s, like mine, call for a 16:1 gas/oil mix, that is a half-pint of oil to a gallon of gas. Later XL-12s, especially the post-EPA models, may be different. Molded into the gas cap on my XL-12 are these words: "THOROUGHLY MIX 1/2 PINT OIL WITH EACH GALLON GAS."

There is a lot of conjecture out there about how today's 2-cycle mix oils are better than those back then and you don't need to use so much, etc. etc. And I wouldn't trade all that BS wrapped in hundred-dollar bills for my Ol' Blue XL-12.